podesta has maintained that independence being part of the obama orbit but not directly inside. so he's going to be able to bring that perspective, those fresh ideas and the experience of having worked in a crisis mode at the white house and been around for a really long time and that's something that's really missing in there right now. >> harold ford, personally for the president i think that's a great move. >> this is a smart addition. you bring an experienced deal maker to the white house. one of the shortcomings and deficiencies in washington there's an unwillingness on the democratic side and republican side to find agreement. podesta understands government works best when it works and the only way it works you achieve results. everybody has to give a little to get things moving. >> knows all the players in washington. they know him. republicans like me, we've been around through the clinton wars and everything else. he's always on the other side but, man, i like him. you can tell he likes people. and reverend al, you need that when you're making a deal. >> you're going to